August 2010 
Collier's Nursery Newsletter
Deep Summer 
In This Issue
In Bloom at the Nursery
Fresh Off the Truck...
Top Ten Most Durable Annuals 6-10
Late Summer Garden Checklist
Cool Gardening Link
Join Our Mailing List
Greetings! 
 
Deep summer days are a great time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your gardening labors and begin brainstorming your fall landscaping projects!  Despite the heat, we receive fresh shipments of plants several days a week during August- so if you need to fill in or spruce up for a party you'll be sure to find something beautiful at Collier's!  Stop in and see us!
In Bloom at the Nursery 
 
Millettia Vine in Bloom
Millettia Vine 
 
Add this unusual vine to your garden and you'll have all your green-thumbed friends green with envy!  Millettia vine features dramatic wine-colored blooms with a delightful fragrance.  Blooms and foliage look very similar to Wisteria but open in summer and last into fall.  Plant this deciduous vine in sun to part sun.  Millettia vine is fast-growing to 15 feet or more and is a great choice for a fence, arbor or porch railing.  Stop by the nursery and take a look; you will want to find a place for one in your garden!
 
 
 
Also In Bloom:
 
Dwarf Canyon Creek Abelia     Pale pink to white blooms through summer on arching branches.  Compact habit to 3' tall and wide.
 
Limelight Hydrangea     Lime green, cone-shaped blooms fade to white and open later than French and Oakleaf hydrangeas.
 
 Abelia & Hydrangea Blooms 
 
Chaste Tree
     Lavender blooms look similar to those of butterfly bush.  Fast-growing small tree to 15-20'.
Fresh Off the Truck... 

New pottery has begun to arrive in warm, natural tones for fall!
 
New Pottery for Fall 
 
The sought-after spring and fall blooming Snowball Viburnums have arrived- very healthy plants, 3 gallon for $24.99.
 
Need a green screen?  Try Nellie R. Stevens Hollies for glossy dark green foliage year-round, beautiful red berries and a naturally pyramidal growth habit.  We just received a shipment of 3 gallon containers ($24.99)- so you get more for your money!
 
The Dwarf Gardenias (1 gallon for $9.99) are looking nice and are a great choice for compact growth, evergreen foliage and fragrant summer blooms.
 
Dwarf Magnolias 'Little Gem' and 'Teddy Bear' in 5 gallon containers ($49.99) make it easy to add this southern favorite to your garden!
 
Japanese Maples in 1 gallon containers for $14.99 are a cost effective way to add one of these often pricey specimen trees to your landscape!  Also, did you know that Japanese Maples have small root systems and make great container plants?
 
Plants to make your mouth water...A fresh shipment of Rabbiteye Blueberries has arrived and they are beautiful!  Two varieties, 'Climax' and 'Premiere' allow for cross-pollination (3 gallon, $19.99).  The Brown Turkey Figs (3 gallon, $19.99) have fruit ripening-up as we speak!
 
Brown Turkey Fig
 
We have a great selection of perennial ornamental grasses, as well as the airy annual fountain grass in an unusual variegated form called 'Fireworks.'
Top Ten Most Durable Annuals 6-10 

Durable AnnualsAs the summer intensifies, most gardeners are ready to find a shady spot and simply relax in the garden.  Planting durable, low-maintenance annuals allows you to enjoy color that lasts through the summer without all the fuss.  Here are five of our top picks, in no particular order, for annuals that stand up to our southern summer.  Stop by the nursery and see them for yourself!
 
Lantana     Clusters of bright blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds as well as standing up to sun and heat.  Cut lantana back in late fall and it will often pop back up next year!
 
Mexican Heather     Small purple blooms complement whites, yellows, pinks and reds.  Very drought tolerant and low-maintenance.
 
Portulaca     Succulent foliage makes this one of the best bets for an extremely hot and dry spot or a small container that dries out quickly.
 
Purple Queen     Vivid purple foliage and hot pink blooms are great additions to mixed plantings.  Purple Queen, like lantana, is known to pop back up year after year.
 
Vinca     An old-fashioned favorite with good reason, vinca (or periwinkle) is a show-stopper with profuse blooms that stands up to sun and heat.
Late Summer Garden Checklist 

  • Cut back spring planted annuals by 1/2 or 2/3.  This will give them a fresh start and make them last until the end of the long Alabama growing season!
  • Clean up spent perennial blooms and foliage.  Trimming old blooms will often produce another flush of flowers.
  • Freshen annual pots and beds with durable, summer-loving selections.
  • Newly planted trees and shrubs may need water 2 to 3 times a week.  Established shrubs only need water once every two weeks and established lawns once a week.
  • Watch out for disease and insect damage on lawns and shrubs and treat as necessary.
  • Early August: Apply fertilome 15-0-15 to centipede lawns.
Cool Gardening Link! 
 
 
 Check out this highly informative and entertaining gardening blog that Garden Design Magazine calls "pithy, hysterically funny, with poignant news and views of all aspects of the garden world."
 
 
Find us on facebook and discover other cool gardening links, gardening info, updates and photos from the nursery!
 
Thanks for reading!  If you have questions or comments we would love to hear from you!  You can e-mail us at info@colliersnursery.com.
 
Happy Gardening,
Collier's Nursery

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